Hold On To Your Keys with Key Management Software and Key Tracking Boxes

By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

A major part of key control and building security is keeping track of your keys. That can happen in many ways including Key Management Software, Electronic Tracking Keys boxes, and risk contingency plans. All of these can work independently from each other, but also work well together. In this article, we will explore each option and how they can help you manage your keys.

Key Management Software

Key Management Software, especially for larger companies, schools, and companies with multiple locations is a powerful way to keep track of all the keys floating around. The Key Management Software solution that we install and configure for our clients has the following capabilities:

• Track Key issued by User.
• Date Issued.
• Date Expected to be returned. (Perhaps you issue a key to a vendor and that vendor will have it for a week, so you set when it should be returned, and if it is not an alert will be triggered.)
• What Doors the key works with.
• Department / Floor/ Bldg / etc. the key is tied to.
• Users can add in building maps to view floor plans of doors.
• No more tracking keys issued on paper and clipboards.
• And More!

Understanding from the start who keys are issued to is critical in securing a facility. If that person leaves for any reason, and you don’t know what keys that individual has, and the keys are not returned, it can cause a major security problem and expose you to financial risk. This is why Key Management Software is a good solution.

Electronic Key Tracking Boxes

Over the past decade, companies within the physical security industry have come out with electronic key tracking boxes. The idea is to secure physical keys, manage who issued keys, and make sure keys that are taken are also returned. The electronic key management boxes we install include the following features:

• Manages who can access the box.
• Manages what specific keys that user can have access to.
• Integrates into a lot of access control platforms via licenses.
• Alerts can be set up if a key is not returned.
• Allows the ability to only issue keys as an add needed basis versus individuals always carrying keys.
• Helps control who is allowed in certain areas.
• And More!

Electronic Key Tracking Boxes can really help cut down on the number of issued keys, who has access and to where, who can get keys, and they also work hand-in-hand with Key Management Software for a facility.

Risk Contingency Plan

So, what happens when a key is lost? Stolen? This is going to happen at some point, and having a plan is crucial to mitigating risk, liability, and minimizing financial implications. Setting up a master key plan to help minimize risks is very important. Having a trusted locksmith partner who can come in and rekey the locks affected and using Key Management Software is a winning combination.

To learn more about these key management solutions and how we can help you take control of how you are issuing and tracking keys, please give us a call!